Noob taking on a big project?

[Matty111]

Gday fellers, well I want to learn more about electronics and circuit’s and I feel the best way that I can do this is to make something sort of complex (well by my standards anyway).

I’m a light vehicle mechanic and I currently work in a forklift repair place but have done heaps of work with customising cars wiring and pcs and general shit and I can solder fine and whatnot so I’m not a complete newb with electronic but not far off.

I’m making a new elaborate snake tank out of an old huge hardwood TV cabinet (which suits it perfectly) and want to put a big wiring system in for many things. I can get a few components off ebay for it all (where’s the fun in that) but won’t learn anything and I know it’s a big ask but would a few of you kind people help me out by drawing a diagram (I can read them fine and know what all the components are) and then help me out by answering my (probably many) questions after?

So here goes.

I’m thinking the best way to do this is via 12VDC and have relays in place for actuating the two 240VAC heat and UV lamps. Obviously circuit breakers in there to.

Firstly I want three temp sensors and three humidity sensors and all displayed on six three number displays.

I want to use one of the temp circuit’s to actuate a relay for a 240VAC 100W heat lamp at an adjustable temp that can be displayed on one of the temp displays when you press a button and another two buttons to adjust it whenever I need.

Secondly I want to have an adjustable time for turning on a relay for the UV lamp in the day and off again at night.

Thirdly I need a circuit that controls 2 separate red led strips that will be on at various brightness at different times all day and night (both strips need to be at a different brightness to each other all the time as one strip will be in a brooding box) and I would like to have them slowly fade in and out when the need to and not just suddenly if not to hard?

Fourth I have 5 3.5V 350mA led’s that I want to run on two circuit’s (one with two that point up and one with three that point down) that need to run only during the day. And I want them to be on at different brightness’s at different times of the day again and different brightness’s to each other again

Fifth I have a 12V 300mA water pump that I want to run only during the day but at a varying rate so I can monitor how much humidity is being made (heaps of water pumped all over the tank will create heaps of humidity which is fine during the winter but not at summer)

I also want 5 pots to vary the brightness of the two red strips, the two white led’s and the speed on the pump and that will just disregard the power the circuits have them at (via diodes?) and to turn the pot all the way off to put them into “auto” mode

I would also like to have two SPDT switches for the UV and heat lamps (on/off/auto) and have a little rgb led for everything so when it’s in auto mode it will be green, blue for on and red for off.

And finally I would like a total wattage display just for shits and giggles.


If you can help out that would be great as everyone needs to start somewhere.
and sorry for the novel size of this post lol.

Cheers

Matt

 

[Arouse1973]

Hi Matt. Don't want much then Welcome to EP. This seems straightforward enough. However the LED strip light part of the project will be challenging if not done in a micro processor. I guess you want to build this out of discrete parts and are not interested in learning to programme a micro processor. I don't normally advocate micros initially because I like people to learn the basics of components and designing with them first. Let us know what you want to do.

Also a block diagram of what you want is also useful so we can see what you want.

Thanks
Adam

 

[Matty111]

Hay mate, yeah thanks, I haven't really been a member of a proper forum before. Yeah I'm not to sure really, completely open to suggestion, but I want to learn about processes and programming (I'm actually looking at a career change and looking at something like electronics as they have always sort of intrigued me), whether or not this is the project to teach me is the question.
What I might do is split this whole thing into two projects and make the temp and humidity,relay switching circuits and the pump side of things on one chipboard first and once there done and working I will try my brain at a microprocessor circuit and the LED circuits.

 

[Matty111]

In fact just to add a bit more complexity, I might add another little unadjustable thermostat that would turn on a fan if the electronics get to hot cause I know MOSFET's get a bit hot don't they? plus the control box is not going to be all that big and is going to be somewhat near the heat lamp. But I could add that later by myself after working out how to set-up thermostat systems.

 

[Arouse1973]

Hay mate, yeah thanks, I haven't really been a member of a proper forum before. Yeah I'm not to sure really, completely open to suggestion, but I want to learn about processes and programming (I'm actually looking at a career change and looking at something like electronics as they have always sort of intrigued me), weather or not this is the project to teach me is the question.
What I might do is split this whole thing into two projects and make the temp and humidity,relay switching circuits and the pump side of things on one chipboard first and once there done and working I will try my brain at a microprocessor circuit and the LED circuits.

I think that's a good idea. Start out learning a bit of electronics and then progress onto a bit of programing.
Adam

 

[Arouse1973]

In fact just to add a bit more complexity, I might add another little unadjustable thermostat that would turn on a fan if the electronics get to hot cause I know MOSFET's get a bit hot don't they? plus the control box is not going to be all that big and is going to be somewhat near the heat lamp. But I could add that later by myself after working out how to set-up thermostat systems.

That's not a bad idea, but you might not need it. You could have a small fan running all the time to save on complexity.
Adam

 

[AlenZGB]

Or two small fans on oposite sides, intake and exhaust, something like ventilation system.
Better air circulation.

 

[Matty111]

yeah ok, so where do you guys think is a good place to start? go and get some textbooks/google about electronics?

 

[Arouse1973]

Hi Matty
Well it's up to you really. You need to set your own pace rather than us just overload you with advice and circuit diagrams. This would be a great opportunity for a project log btw. Then people can keep track of what you have been up to. My first approach to this would be choosing the sensors and displays you want, this then will ultimately determine the control / processing circuitry. Have a look for some sensors and displays and familiarise your self with a few of them. Then come back and post your findings.
Adam

 

[Matty111]

Yeah ok, I will have a bit of a look and do some research over the weekend. I actually sort of keep a pic log of most big jobs and projects I do these days (kind of a trick I learnt in the auto industry so shits easier to put back together without the guess work as to what bolts go where) so I will start a online log with the pics I have already for all you guys to see then.

 

[Arouse1973]

Yeah ok, I will have a bit of a look and do some research over the weekend. I actually sort of keep a pic log of most big jobs and projects I do these days (kind of a trick I learnt in the auto industry so shits easier to put back together without the guess work as to what bolts go where) so I will start a online log with the pics I have already for all you guys to see then.

That's good. Looks like it's going to be a good project.
Adam